1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals generally with the field of acoustical or firestopping insulating including, possibly, intumescent or felt-type material components. In the prior art various means were utilized for the purposes of achieving insulation of head-of-wall joints but all have been proved to be inadequate. For example, traditionally mineral wool has been installed or coatings or sealants have been applied in these in these areas for achieving firestop sealing and for acoustical sealing various different materials have been used to prevent sound transmission. Also, the use of tape having an intumescent component has been applied to the side downwardly extending flanges of the track for firestopping. These systems include various important disadvantages. Such prior art heat-of wall insulating attempts have required an extensive amount of manual labor at the job site. Also, with the use of insulating tape and other similar constructions. the metal tracks often require a unique construction on the exterior surface of the metal track which can have a predefined area such as a recess or the like which identifies the specific location required for placement of such an intumescent and/or acoustic layer of insulation material such as tape. One of the advantages of the apparatus of the present invention is that it is usable with conventionally OEM metal track construction and does not require any customized design for the ceiling runner, primarily, because these present construction works best when not attached in any manner to the track side surfaces sections particularly where it is important to allow for some amount relative movement therebetween during normal expansion and contraction of building materials and sections which occurs commonly.
In particular, as the joint moves responsive to normal expansion and contraction of the building components, the insulating tape and/or the coatings of insulating material which is attaché directly to the surfaces of the downwardly extending side sections of the ceiling track can become dislodged from components of the head-of-wall area, that is, particularly dislodging from the surfaces of the downwardly extending side sections of the track or runner. Also these systems do not specifically address variations in the contour or profile of the ceiling or roof area which comes into direct abutment with the upper portion of the metal track. Such variations in the configuration of the building construction in this area can form gaps between the track and the adjacent roof or ceiling area which are not adequately addressed for insulation by the above described prior art systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many patents have been granted for various constructions for insulating head-of-wall joints such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,702 patented Apr. 30, 1991 to T. L. Daw et al and assigned to Daw Technologies, Inc. on a “Modular Wall System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,203 patented Jul. 7, 1992 to R. F. Paquette on a “Seismic/Fire Resistant Wall Structure and Method”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,066 patented May 26, 1998 to D. W. Becker on a “Slip Track Assembly; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,788 patented Jun. 22, 1999 to T. R. Herren on a “Fire Blocking And Seismic Resistant Wall Structure”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,041 patented Jul. 13, 1999 to J. D. Egri, II on a “Bottom Track For Wall Assembly”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,385 patented Sep. 14, 1999 to T. R. Herren on an “Interior Shaft Wall Construction”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,668 patented May 9, 2000 to 0T. R. Herren on a “Seismic And Fire-Resistant Head-of-Wall Structure”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,053 patented Jan. 23, 2001 to Roger C. A. St. Germain and assigned to Robert C. A. St. Germain on a “Wall Track Assembly And Method For Installing The Same”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,783,345 patented Aug. 31, 2004 to M. D. Morgan et al and assigned to W.R. Grace & Co.-Conn on “In Situ Molded Thermal Barriers”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,043,880 patented May 16, 2006 to M. D. Morgan et al and assigned to W.R. Grace & Co.-Conn. on “In Situ Molded Thermal Barriers”; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0137293 published Jun. 29, 2006 to J. A. Klein on “Head-Of-Wall Fireblocks And Related Wall Assemblies”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,152,385 patented Dec. 26, 2006 to M. D. Morgan et al and assigned to W.R. Grace & Co.-Conn. on “In Situ Molded Thermal Barriers”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,240,905 patented Jul. 10, 2007 to J. P. Stahl, Sr. and assigned to Specified Technologies, Inc. on a “Method And Apparatus For Sealing A Joint Gap Between Two Independently Movable Structural Substrates”; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0090074 published Apr. 9, 2009 to J. A. Klein on “Head-Of-Wall Fireblock Systems And Related Wall Assemblies”; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0178363 published Jul. 16, 2009 to D. A. Pilz et al and assigned to California Expanded Metal Products Company on an “Exterior Wall Construction Product”; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0223159 published Sep. 10, 2009 to Mark Colon on a “Fire Block And Thermal Barrier System For Fluted Metal Decks”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,617,643 patented Nov. 17, 2009 to D. A. Pilz et al and assigned to California Expanded Metal Products Company on a “Fire-Rated Wall Construction Product”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,681,365 patented Mar. 23, 2010 to J. A. Klein on “Head-Of-Wall Fireblock Systems And Related Wall Assemblies”; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0126092 published May 27, 2010 to D. A. Pilz et al on a “Fire-Rated Wall Construction Product”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,752,817 patented Jul. 13, 2010 to D. A. Pilz et al and assigned to California Expanded Metal Products Company on a “Two-Piece Track System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,814,718 patented Oct. 19, 2010 to J. A. Klein on “Head-Of-Wall Fireblocks”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,866,108 patented Jan. 11, 2011 to J. A. Klein on “Head-Of-Wall Fireblock Systems And Related Wall Assemblies”; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0011019 published Jan. 20, 2011 on a “Firestopping Sealing Means For Use With Gypsum Wallboard In Head-Of-Wall Construction”; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0113709 published May 19, 2011 to D. A. Pilz et al and assigned to California Expanded Metal Products Company on a “Wall Gap Fire Block Device, System and Method”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,950,198 patented May 31, 2011 to D. A. Pilz et al and assigned to California Expanded Metal Products Company on a “Fire-Rated Wall Construction Product”; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0185656 published Aug. 4, 2011 to J. A. Klein on a “Fire Retardant Cover For Fluted Roof Deck”; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0214371 published Sep. 8, 2011 on an “Offset Leg Framing Element For Fire Stop Applications”; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0247281 published Oct. 13, 2011 to D. A. Pilz et al and assigned to California Expanded Metal Products Company on a “Fire-Rated Wall Construction Product”.